Contributors, who value this forum, have made all kinds of suggestions, all over the joint...
Isn't it about time, for admin to offer some of their thoughts and any action to be taken - as previously promised ?

I guess that some might feel they have already said enough; might not want to repeat previous suggestions. Rick and co, likewise have responded, as and when.

Here's hoping this works out for the best; to keep tabs on suggestions about the forum and any responses.

I have a question. Would it be difficult to make it so that the posts in a thread are numbered? I know that other forums have numbering on their posts, and I tend to have very long threads.

It would be a lot easier for me to refer someone to a specific post that answers their question, rather than to repeat the information over and over as new people join the discussion.

If it is feasible, it would be appreciated.

G

I'd be in favour of this. Like you, I have seen this on other forums.

However, I have just clicked around the admin areas and I can't see a setting for this. Then I Googled it and found that (at least as of 2 years ago) it was a feature available in other forum software, like vBulletin, but not in phpBB, which is the software we use here. In fact, I found a thread where the phpBB developers were discussing whether to add the feature or not:

Gee wrote:
... Would it be difficult to make it so that the posts in a thread are numbered? I know that other forums have numbering on their posts, and I tend to have very long threads.

It would be a lot easier for me to refer someone to a specific post that answers their question, rather than to repeat the information over and over as new people join the discussion...

I'd be in favour of this. Like you, I have seen this on other forums.

However, I have just clicked around the admin areas and I can't see a setting for this. Then I Googled it and found that (at least as of 2 years ago) it was a feature available in other forum software, like vBulletin, but not in phpBB, which is the software we use here. In fact, I found a thread where the phpBB developers were discussing whether to add the feature or not:

Would it be easier to keep track, if threads were within a certain limit of pages or posts?
If a thread winds on a bit, perhaps start a new Part. Eg Pure Consciousness? Pt II, posts 100 - 200; Part III, posts 200-300.

A 35-pager with 517 posts, come on...it's madness

Or if it goes off at a bit of a tangent, but still interesting, then a rename ' Blah- blah X ( was 'Pure Consciousness?')

morganna swish wrote:
Would it be easier to keep track, if threads were within a certain limit of pages or posts?
If a thread winds on a bit, perhaps start a new Part. Eg Pure Consciousness? Pt II, posts 100 - 200; Part III, posts 200-300.

A 35-pager with 517 posts, come on...it's madness

Or if it goes off at a bit of a tangent, but still interesting, then a rename ' Blah- blah X ( was 'Pure Consciousness?')

I would have no complaint about breaking up Pure Consciousness? into three or four threads and naming them 1,2,3, etc. It would be easier to handle them, but I can't do it.

morganna swish wrote:
Would it be easier to keep track, if threads were within a certain limit of pages or posts?
If a thread winds on a bit, perhaps start a new Part. Eg Pure Consciousness? Pt II, posts 100 - 200; Part III, posts 200-300.

A 35-pager with 517 posts, come on...it's madness

Or if it goes off at a bit of a tangent, but still interesting, then a rename ' Blah- blah X ( was 'Pure Consciousness?')

I would have no complaint about breaking up Pure Consciousness? into three or four threads and naming them 1,2,3, etc. It would be easier to handle them, but I can't do it.

G

It should be possible for a moderator to lock a thread, and restart another one at whatever point you would wish, eg after a catch-up summary of progress so far.

It would be good to know exactly what the forum software allows moderators to do.

Also, future posters could do a 'break up' quite easily, if they knew that some kind of a limit was approaching, either amount of pages or posts.

To make better use of the subject window to highlight change of subject or particular focus/new idea.
As above, 'Cartoons Now'.

What about following some of the PN magazine set-up. Love the cartoons !
So, the forum is not just 'especially' to discuss the PN articles but also relate to the cartoons and perhaps offer up a competing and compelling visual.

And -- is the forum really about this... 'especially' the PN articles.

I reckon an important part is the exchange of views and arguments about whatever is current, or a particular poster's focus.

Really! What would your reaction be to a thread of 1,468 pages and 36,696 posts that has run for over 3 years? I still read it and post on occasion. FYI, we did try to have thread parties at certain milestones, noisemakers, fireworks, Music, suggestions for food.

Really! What would your reaction be to a thread of 1,468 pages and 36,696 posts that has run for over 3 years? I still read it and post on occasion. FYI, we did try to have thread parties at certain milestones, noisemakers, fireworks, Music, suggestions for food.

Sounds like a...

...tapestry of rich and royal hue An everlasting vision of the ever-changing view
A wondrous, woven magic in bits of blue and gold A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold

I notice with searches that it brings up every thread that contains the search word. I would propose that the search word just bring any possible duplicate thread through their titles to make the search easier (btw this works at another forum).

I have a question. Would it be difficult to make it so that the posts in a thread are numbered? I know that other forums have numbering on their posts, and I tend to have very long threads.

It would be a lot easier for me to refer someone to a specific post that answers their question, rather than to repeat the information over and over as new people join the discussion.

If it is feasible, it would be appreciated.

G

Gee, lacking thread numbers it is still possible to specify the exact date and time of a particular post, to make it easier to find.

Hi Doc,

That would be if you knew the date and time which normally we don't since we don't track that data so I favor the numbering system too.

PhilX

Gee, this ideas originator, was speaking of referring people to a particular message in a thread, not searching the entire forum. And it is easy enough, by fixing ones eyes on the screen where the dates are located in the messages and scrolling down until the required date/time is seen. We should assume that the person being referred is honestly interested in the topic at hand, and should actually read all of the messages in the thread, if they in fact want to be completely effectual with their additions.

But yes, I'm sure the administrator could do a lot of extra work, to program a function so it would be easier for those that do not care to read all the messages in a thread, to find only those that they want to.